Hudson Valley area state legislators are split on New York's new gun control law

KINGSTON, N.Y. - The state Assembly's Mid-Hudson contingent split along party lines in their votes on a package of gun control laws being called the most comprehensive in the nation.

The Secure Ammunition and Firearms Enforcement Act, known as the SAFE Act, passed the state Senate 43-18 Monday night and the Assembly approved it 104-43 late Tuesday afternoon. Gov. Andrew Cuomo signed the bill into law within minutes of its passage in the Assembly.

Democrats Kevin Cahill, of Kingston, Didi Barrett, of Millbrook, and Frank Skartados, of Milton, voted in favor of the bill. Republicans Peter Lopez, of Schoharie and Claudia Tenney of New Hartford, voted against the measure.

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Democratic Assembly members in the region hailed the measure as one that will strengthen public safety and protect the public against tragedies like the shooting in Sandy Hook.

In a statement issued following the vote, Barrett said the law will "keep dangerous guns out of the hands of potentially dangerous individuals while protecting the rights of responsible, law-abiding gun owners.

"This is all about public safety," said Barrett. "Just as we have learned to accept the inconvenience of airport security for the greater good, the inconveniencies for some in this legislation will work to prevent further tragedies from occurring while protecting the rights of responsible gun owners throughout New York state."

In a statement issued Wednesday, Cahill said the measure passed Tuesday was "not a perfect solution," but said that shouldn't be a barrier from acting.

"The time for denying the role of the lethal capability of guns is over," said Cahill in a statement issued Wednesday.

He called "ridiculous" suggestions that the safety of school children could be assured by putting armed guards in schools or guns in the desks of teachers, and rejected claims that the bill would signal the end of gun rights.

Skartados said the bill "is not a panacea," but said he voted for the measure because of its "positive aspects," which he said strengthens Kendra's law with respect to health issues, requires criminal background checks, raises the penalties for crimes committed with guns, and provides funding for security equipment and safety procedures in schools.

Tenney, though, said the law "won't make any differences in saving lives."

"It's certainly not going to protect us against Sandy Hook or Virginia Tech," she said.

Tenney said the haste in which the measure was pushed through the state Legislature proved that it was simply an attempt to "beat" President Obama and Maryland Gov. Martin O'Malley to the punch.

"That was the mission, to get it done first, not necessarily to get it done right," she said

Lopez likewise criticized the haste in which the bill was passed and the lack of public discourse on what he said is such a significant and sensitive issue.

"We have an issue that is very sensitive of all fronts, balancing constitutional freedoms with public concerns for safety and we had a process that was literally indefensible in terms of the drafting of the legislation and the way it proceeded to be passed through the Legislature," he said. "We can hold public hearings for years on hydrofracking ... why aren't we giving public discourse on this issue the same due process?"

Lopez said that while the bill has some worthy provisions, it did little to address "the root causes of violence."

Cahill said that claims of a less than transparent process don't "stand up," because many of the provisions included in the bill have been previously vetted by the Assembly and debated extensively, and often repeatedly.

To concerns that the measure doesn't do enough to address the reasons behind violence, Cahill said lawmakers should use the adoption of the law as "an opportunity to continue our discussion on how to make New York safer."